Supercell storm warning for southeast

UPDATE: At 5.40pm, the Bureau of Meteorology issued its first severe storm warning for the day, for people in the Southeast Coast and parts of Wide Bay and Burnett forecast districts.

"Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours," the Bureau said in a statement.

"Locations which may be affected include Gold Coast, Brisbane, Maroochydore, Gympie, Bundaberg, Caboolture and Ipswich."

Storm warnings are current for most of south east Queensland. Photo: BOM

UPDATE: TOWNS and cities across the south east are in the path of a storm cell that could bring heavy rain, hail and strong winds.

Areas reaching from Gympie to Ipswich have been warned to prepare for a potentially dangerous storm.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued the warning about 3.30pm and said towns including Gympie, Ipswich, Gatton, Cherbourg, Beaudesert, Gin Gin, Jimboomba, Kilcoy, Laidley, Lowood, Mount Tamborine and Nanango may be affected.

The south east has been warned of potential severe thunderstorms. Photo: BOM

EARLIER: GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate says he is organising for council emergency crews to be on stand-by as officers monitor a storm supercell closing in on the Glitter Strip.

The council has been warned by weather experts that the city could be hit by a severe hail storm late this afternoon.

Councillor Tate urged residents to take precautions, and house their pets and protect valuables.

"It is unpredictable. My message is prepare yourself. Get your pets inside and at the same time your cars," he told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

"If you are at a loss at where to start, get on the council website or StormReady and they will give you a list of what to do.

A lot of people love their cars, they're a big investment, put it undercover or put some sheets or blankets over it, whatever you've got."

It will be a mixed bag of weather conditions around the southeast for the next few days, with hot weather and severe storms setting in today before cooler conditions bring plenty of rain for the rest of the week.

Brisbane is expected to break the 30C barrier for the first time since April, with residents bracing for hot, humid conditions today, along with more storms across the southeast.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting temperatures to hit 31C in the city while along the coastline temperatures are also expected to reach 30C.

If the predictions are accurate, Wednesday will be Brisbane's hottest day since the mercury peaked at 32C on April 16.

The Bureau of Meteorology's Rick Threlfall says severe storms are likely to roll in across the region in the afternoon and evening.

"There might be the odd fog patch around the inland suburbs in the west because of all the humidity, but for the morning and a large part of the afternoon it will be nice and sunny," he said

"It's going to be a warm, sticky day and that helps feed the potential for storms late into the afternoon."

Mr Threlfall said it was difficult to pinpoint where the storms were likely to hit, but dangerous winds, large hail and "intense" rain are likely across much of the southeast.

Up to 40mm of rain is forecast today around the Gold Coast, while Brisbane could collect 30mm and the Sunshine Coast 20mm.

Cr Tate said the council was well prepared for the storm season with staff undertaken courses in the past month.

"Our disaster management has been doing exercises, when I call a stand up everyone knows to come in, and the call for help for the SES, we will be monitoring that," he said.

"People will be out there. So you are not alone. It's better for you to get ready that your pets and belongings are safe."

Asked if he had crews on stand-by, he replied: "We will be. I'm constantly contacting my director there. As it approaches, I'm not one of those persons to be a boy called wolf, if I go out and say it's on, it really is on. We will usual our social media, texts - we've got that all in place to go."

A big change is expected to bring more rain and colder weather on Thursday, as a south-easterly change moves up from NSW.

Temperatures will drop to tops of 22C in Brisbane tomorrow and 19C by Friday with similar rainy conditions along the coast.

RADAR BACK IN BUSINESS

Technicians who were racing to restore Brisbane's Mt Stapylton radar in time for this afternoon's looming storms have succeeded in getting it back online.

The radar went offline about 9am Tuesday due to a "technical fault".

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Gordon Banks said the radar was back online yesterday afternoon, but failed again overnight.

It is not known what has caused the fault.

We are working to bring Mt Stapylton radar back online today. Marburg radar together with other nearby radars, high resolution satellite 🛰️ images and real-time lightning data, will allow us to continue to provide a reliable weather warning service: https://t.co/lGWClL6S3Npic.twitter.com/U9tYXl3pu9